Combination fuse for projectiles



Nov. 7, 1933. A. F. TEITSCHEID COMBINATION FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed Dec. 7, 1932 Inventur Alfred E-Teit scheid Attnr'r y Patented Nov. 7, 1933 2 Claims.

(Cl. l0236) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a combination fuse for projectiles.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a bore-safe fuse for projectiles such as are fired from trench mortars and are equipped with vanes to insure headon impact.

The fuse is characterized by a nose carrying two firing mechanisms and selectively adjustable to place one of the firing mechanisms in operative position.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved fuse.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryview in side elevation of a portion of the fuse.

The fuse comprises a body 5 adapted to be screwed into a prepared opening in a projectile. The front end of the body is provided with an opening 6 for receiving the stem '7 of a nose 8 having an annular shoulder 9 seating on the rim 10 of the body. The stem '7 is formed with an annular groove 11 for receiving the inner ends of a pair of pins 1212 secured in the body 5 and retaining the nose in the body.

The nose carries two elements of firing mechanisms positioned diametrically opposite each other. One consists of a primer 13 and a long flash passage 14 for affording instantaneous action and the other consists of a primer 15 and a delay train 16 for affording delay action. The elements are each retained in place by means of a plug 1'! having an aperture 18.

A cavity 19 in the forward end of the nose houses a cup-shaped striker 20. A pair of'diametrically opposite firing pins 21-21 are inserted through the base of the striker and each has an enlarged head 22 fitting in a recess 23 in the base of the striker. The points of the firing pins are disposed in the apertures 18 of the plugs 1'7. A plug 24 fitting in the striker retains the firing pins in place and a shear pin 25 passing through the nose 8, striker 20 and plug 24 holds the plug in the striker and maintains the striker in the unarmed position.

A pair of conical recesses 26-26 are provided in the annular shoulder 9 of the nose and are disposed on the diametrical line of the firing pins 21 and primers 13 and 15. The recesses 26 are adapted to be selectively engaged by a latch consisting of a ball 27 projecting from the rim 10 of the body and normally urged outwardly by a spring 28. The ball and spring are disposed in a recess 29 in the body.

In this manner the nose of the fuse may be releasably held in either of two positions ofad-' 7 justment with one or the other of the firing mechanisms in communication with a flash passage 30 in the body that leads to a detonator 31. An indication of the setting of the nose is afforded in a. well known manner by appropriate inscriptions 32, one being shown in Fig. 4, placed on the exterior of the nose and reglsterable with a mark 33 on the exterior of the body.

The detonator 31 is carried in a transversely movable slide 34 normally held out of line with the flash passage 30 by means of a bolt 35 and movable into alignment therewith, upon removal of the bolt, by means of a spring 36.

The bolt is held in the path of movement of the slide by means of a pin 37 inserted in an 35 aperture 38 in the inner end of the bolt. The lower end of the pin 3'7 is held in the mouth of a cup-shaped plug 39 by means of a socket member consisting of spaced ribs 40 having lips 41 engaging the rim of the plug 39.

On set-back the pin 3'7 moves rearwardly out of engagement with the bolt and deforms the lips of the socket member. The bolt when withdrawn is ejected from the body by a spring 42. A pin 43 passing through the body 5 and the pin 37 serves to hold the pin immovable in storage and transportation and. is removed prior to loading the projectile in a gun or mortar.

The booster charge 44 in the rear end of the 1 body 5 has a column 45 disposed in alignment with the detonator when in armed position.

Before loading the projectile in a mortar the fuse is adjusted to give instantaneous or delay action according to the nature of impact de- 11 sired by rotating the nose 8 until the appropriate inscription 32 registers with the mark 33.

Upon'firing the projectile the pin 3'7 sets back releasing the bolt 35 which is ejected by its spring 36.. T e s ide 34 is then free to be moved to 1 armed position disposing the detonator 31 in line with the flash passage 30.

On impact the striker is driven inwardly causing both of the firing pins to set ofi their corresponding primers. Only the primer that is in alignment with the flash passage can transmit ignition to the detonator.

I claim.

1. In a fuse, a body having a cavity in its forward end and a flash passage in communication therewith, a nose having an annular shoulder seating on the body and provided wi h apertures, a reduced portion on the nose disposed in the cavity in the body and formed with an annular groove, pins carried by the body and disposed in the groove, a. spring-pressed ball in the body selectively engageable with the apertures in the shoulder of the nose, a pair of firing pins mounted in the nose for unitary longitudinal movement, a pair of explosive trains carried by the nose in line with the firing pins and selectively positionable in line with the flash passage in the body upon rotation of the nose.

2. In a fuse, a body having a flash passage, a nose rotatably mounted on the body, means for selectively holding the nose in positions of adjustment, a pair of firing pins mounted in the nose for longitudinal movement, an instantaneous and a delay explosive train carried by the nose in line with the firing pins, and selectively positionable in line with the flash passage in the body upon rotation of the nose.

ALFRED F. TEITSCHEID. 

